Powerade Ad Falls Foul Of Asa Ruling

The Advertising Standards Agency has outlawed a TV advert for sports drink
Powerade because it appeared to feature a cyclist not wearing the necessary
safety equipment.

The advertising watchdog upheld a viewer complaint that the cyclist featured
in the Powerade ad was not wearing reflective clothing and cycling without any
lights during a time period appearing to be sometime between dusk and dawn.

The complaint suggested that the ad might be seen to be condoning behaviour
‘prejudicial to health and safety’ – a view that the ASA supported in ruling
that the commercial was in breach of the CAP Broadcast Code on such issues.

The advert, created by Powerade’s advertising agency McCann-Erickson, follows
a man training for his first triathlon.

McCann Erickson countered the suggestions of the ASA by stating that the ad
had actually been filmed during the afternoon but that because it was shot
without lighting equipment, it looked later in the day. Given this fact, the
filming had met all road safety requirements.

Coca-Cola, the owner of the Powerade brand, has already stated that it has no
plans to show the ad again.